


a pair of thick socks

by raktajinos



Series: womenverse ficlets [5]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Female Friendship, Ficlet, Gen, Post-Endgame, background B'elanna/Tom, family traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-01-11
Packaged: 2018-01-08 07:58:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1130213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raktajinos/pseuds/raktajinos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kathryn brings B'elanna in on a Janeway family tradition</p>
            </blockquote>





	a pair of thick socks

**Author's Note:**

> written for a challenge at womenverse. My prompt was 'a pair of thick socks'

It was late at night when Kathryn snuck back into sickbay. Well snuck was a loose term, it _was_ her damn ship afterall. It had been a crazy busy day - returning to the Alpha Quadrant with a Borg battalion at her heels - she'd only had a few minutes to congratulate B'elanna and Tom. 

The sickbay door hissed open and the Doctor looked over at her from his office. She waved to him and pointed in the direction of the beds. The Doctor nodded and she made her way through the darkened room. B'elanna's bed was surrounded with gifts - cards, balloons, ridiculous baby presents; people had clearly used all their replicator rations to shower the woman with gifts. But with them being home, she couldn't see a better excuse to use them up. 

"Captain," B'elanna said quietly. 

Kathryn walked up next to her bed. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"Nope. Been doing some reading. Several of the women on this ship seem to think giving me smut novels is the appropriate post-birth gift," she said a twinkle in her eye. 

"Anything good?" she asked.

B'elanna searched through the pile of pads and paper books on her bedside table. "I just finished this one, was pretty good. You'll never look at an Andorian the same way again."

Kathryn laughed and accepted the book.

"I have something for you," she said and she pulled out a neatly wrapped floppy package and handed it over. 

B'elanna smiled widely as she torn open the present. It was a pair of thick socks, the old fashioned wool kind. 

"Socks." B'elanna said intrigued. 

"It is an old Janeway family tradition; always give a new mother a pair of cabin socks. We've been doing it in our family for generations. I'm happy to be able to....pass the tradition on," she explained. 

Tears welled up in B'elanna's eyes. "Sorry Kathryn, I'm just so easy to cry today. Thank you so much." She held the scratchy socks to her chest. 

Kathryn leaned over and pulled B'elanna into a big hug, holding the woman close. She _was_ family, pretty much a sister to her; they bickered like sisters, but she loved her as if she were her own flesh and blood. 

They sat that way for a long while, enjoying the rare respite from the demands of command. Now that they were back in the Alpha Quadrant, Kathryn was looking forward to more down time, more time to get to know the people she now considered family.


End file.
